In an age of mobile devices (e.g., the so-called “smart phones”) and software that run on these devices (e.g., so-called “apps”), data usage has become an increasing concern for users. Most carriers have ended or restricted “unlimited” data plans, have moved users to “pay-for-use” data plans, and often charge overage fees for exceeding allotted data usage. Reducing data usage by mobile devices can be valuable, especially when connecting over an “expensive” carrier network.
While users can manually adjust settings on their mobile devices to help reduce data usage (e.g., by turning off social media apps), many users consider this a hassle. Other users do not think about their data usage until they receive an invoice showing overage charges.